


May I have this dance?

by Welsper



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Marriage, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-19 03:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22671391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welsper/pseuds/Welsper
Summary: Ashe has a favor to ask of Penelo.
Relationships: Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca/Penelo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	May I have this dance?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blacktreecle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blacktreecle/gifts).



“I have a request of you to make. ‘tis not my place, to ask any more of you than you’ve done already for Dalmasca, still…”

“We’re friends, Ashe, aren’t we? Even now?” Penelo smiled brightly at that young woman before her, whom she pitied, for all the freedom Penelo now had, Ashe could never have. The burden of rule was placed upon her and would not leave her shoulders until her death. If Penelo could do anything to ease that burden a little, she’d try.

“That we are,” Ashe said and returned her smile finally. She relaxed a little. These days her face was often in a frown and her shoulders set tight and although Penelo understood her role in life, sometimes all she wished for was to take Ashe away, on another adventure, one with less sorrow and pain and to simply let her have fun for once.

“And friends help each other,” Penelo said. “So whatever you need help with, ask! I don’t have any armies to offer, or treasuries or grand prophecies… but if it’s something I can do, I will.”

“No, I’ve no need of such grand things, believe me, there’s soldiers enough in the world.”

Ashe wouldn’t meet her eyes. Was that a blush on her face? Somehow, that made Penelo flush herself. Ah, she shouldn’t look at her queen like that and get silly thoughts. But she really was the prettiest girl Penelo had ever seen. It was no surprise suitors from all of Ivalice were coming to see her! Eventually, she’d probably marry one of them… Someone important and noble and not some sky pirate girl. A no one. Penelo wanted her to be happy, she did. But deep down, she could not help be sad. Ashe grew further away from them with every day and Penelo thought that was normal.

But it hurt.

“You are a dancer now, are you not?”

“Well...” Penelo played with the hem of her shirt. “I do my best!”

“Then do you know of Rozarrian court dances?”

“Rozarrian dances?” Penelo asked. “I do, but… what for?”

Ashe sighed in what looked like relief. She walked towards Penelo and clasped her hands in her own, a serious look on her face.

“Penelo, I ask of you to accompany me to the Margrace’s Winter Ball as my guest!”

“Eh?” Penelo didn’t manage more than stupid stammer with Ashe to near and her warm skin against hers. Someone like her? At the queen’s side? At a ball?

“I know this is crude of me to ask, but… truly, I cannot stand another one of Al-Cid’s drunken advances. If I have to hear one more time about his pedigree Chocobos we will have another war on our hands,” Ashe sighed and Penelo could not help but laugh. “And if I rid myself of him, there’ll be the next Margrace! Do you know how many sons and daughters they have? They keep offering me their hands! Some I frankly do not know whether I have turned them down already or if they have three children with the same names!”

Ashe’s hands on hers tightened.

“Please, I ask this of you. You have my word there will be no fighting and there will be no risk to you. We can merely… let us enjoy ourselves for once.”

“As friends,” Penelo said.

“As friends.”

* * *

Penelo’s eyes went wide as the Margrace’s Winter Palace opened before her as she exited the carriage, a shimmer of gold and silver and the chocobos drawing it were grand and white. Penelo was sure the birds could trace their bloodline further than she herself could.

She collected herself, made sure her mouth wasn’t agape and then held out her arm for Ashe as she’d been instructed by the Royal tutors preparing her for the ball. She had an inkling none of them were too happy about Ashe’s choice of date, no doubt fearing what it would look like if a queen showed up with someone like her on her arm. But Ashe _was_ queen and she had insisted and that was that matter settled. Perhaps Penelo should have protested?

But the truth was, her heart was beating in her throat with Ashe gliding down the carpeted aisles beside her and all eyes on them. Ashe drew all attention, but it was Penelo at her side and not any of those looking on and for one night, she could let herself enjoy it. One night, before she took back to the skies and Ashe took back to the palace and whatever they still had between them would fray and tear and be gone because while they might have been born in the same place, they might as well be from different worlds.

“Ah, my beautiful desert rose! How wonderful you look this evening,” a familiar voice called out to them as they mingled with the guests. Penelo saw Ashe’s eyes go wide for a moment before she collected herself. She felt Ashe’s grip tighten on her arm.

“Al-Cid,” Ashe said with a polite smile on her face. “How fare you? Is your mother well again?”

“Ah, she has never been better. When our lands are no longer, I dread my mother will still be around, haunting my grave and asking me when she will hold her first grandchild.”

“I wish you all the luck in that endeavor,” Ashe said and her voice sounded like the chill of the desert night. Before Al-Cid could open his mouth and since Penelo was no longer a child and had seen it all by now, she knew what he wanted to ask. “I believe you have met the Lady Penelo?”

“But of course, how could I forget. My lady, I am overjoyed we can meet again in more peaceful times and may those be the only occasions in all our lifetimes,” Al-Cid said. “She is your guest, your majesty?”

“Yes, my dear guest,” Ashe said, smiled and drew Penelo closer. Al-Cid gave them a warm smile.

“I am happy for you, your majesty,” Al-Cid and Penelo thought she ought to say something, correct something, but her voice caught in her throat at the soft press of Ashe at her side and the knowledge that for a moment, someone thought of them as something Penelo could only wish for in daydreams.

“Thank you,” Ashe said and the smile on her face was true and warm and it made Penelo’s breath come short.

There was no one who asked for Ashe’s hand that night.

* * *

“I think I have brought great trouble upon you,” Ashe said quietly. She was leaning against a balcony railing, the two of them having left the dancefloor behind for a moment. “They think you… believe me, I had not meant for it to go so far, you must forgive me.”

It hurt. Penelo resisted the urge to raise a hand to her chest, where her heart was gripped in sadness at those words. Of course it would bother Ashe if people actually thought she was… She was only some orphan from the gutter, after all. No Empress, or queen, or princess, not even a lady.

“It’s alright,” Penelo said and then added, without knowing why or being able to stop herself: “I don’t mind.”

“You… you do not,” Ashe said and their eyes met and Penelo saw what was in Ashe’s eyes. She stepped forward, as if on her own, closed that distance between them, as if it were their stations in life and their fates in such. Ashe’s cheeks were flushed as she cupped them between her hands. Penelo could see her breath in the cold air, departing from her painted lips, red and rosy and Penelo had longed for nothing more in her life. She was a pirate, wasn’t she? And pirates took what they wanted.

Ashe tasted of sweet wine and desert fruits and the sun.

“I know it’s only for one evening,” Penelo said as she drew back. She flicked a lock of hair behind Ashe’s ear. “But I was happy. That someone thought I was yours. That you were mine.”

She smiled and she could not hide the tears forming in her eyes.

“Thank you, Ashe.”

“It needn’t be for one evening only.”

“What are you saying,” Penelo breathed and went to step back but Ashe caught her by the wrists. “Someone like me with someone like you...”

“You were there, were you not? I care little for some of those traditions, forced upon us by those that came before,” Ashe said with a smile and Penelo felt her heart beat faster.

“I know there is the sky out there for you, and I cannot follow you there, but… if you would have a kingdom, I can give you one,” Ashe said and Penelo wanted not for kingdom or crown nor power, but only this woman.

* * *

They were married not within that stuffy citadel, with only the high and mighty witnessing it, but on the plaza, where all of Rabanastre may join them in their happiness. Ashe shone brighter than the sun in the sky as petals rained down on them, strewn by all who came to celebrate this day with them.

When Penelo looked up, she saw Vaan and Balthier sit on a rooftop, waving at them and she waved back, and knew the man who was more brother to her than any blood ties could have made him had found his happiness as she had found hers.

There was a whole sky out there, but Penelo found she didn’t long for it.

All she wanted was right by her side, here in Rabanastre.


End file.
